1. Technical Field
The apparatus of this invention relates generally to an apparatus for replacing a trimming blade in a skinning machine. More specifically, it relates to an apparatus wherein the blade may be easily and quickly removed from its holder without the need for tools or for removing the holder from the machine thereby minimizing the contact the operator must have with the holder. The design of the present invention is especially well suited for use in automatic skinning machines where access to the blade holder may be limited.
Meat "muscles" or "products" as used herein will refer broadly to beef, pork, poultry, fish and the like. Materials to be trimmed may be fat, membranes, skin, connective tissue, gristle, bone, or the like. Machines for accomplishing such tasks are referred to in the art as skinning, trimming, or de-rinding machines.
The majority of blade holders utilized on automatic skinning machines comprise a lower base position and an upper clamping portion with the blade "sandwiched" in between. The base and clamping portions are held together using a series of screws which, when tightened, clamp the plates together, exerting pressure on the blade therebetween, keeping it in proper position. Currently, most automatic trimming machines utilize a blade holder wherein replacement of the blade requires that holder be removed from the machine. After removal from the machine, the screws are loosened, the blade replaced, and the holder reinstalled in the machine.
The blades used in the meat trimming industry are generally of stainless steel construction and are extremely sharp. The extreme sharpness of the blade poses a very serious safety hazard to those who operate or are otherwise exposed to the machines. The holders used to position and hold the blades in place in the machine are quite heavy and cumbersome, especially when the holder must be removed from the machine. The weight and cumbersome nature of the holder increase the likelihood that a person changing the blade could lose his grip on the holder. Since the blade is exposed wherein the installed holder, this can have disastrous consequences. On at least one occasion, a person was severely injured when he lost his grip on the holder and it fell onto his leg. Therefore, it is very desirable to limit the exposure people have with the blade and holder. The present invention provides a means for limiting exposure to the blade and holder by eliminating the need for removing the holder from the machine to change the blade.
The present invention is adapted to be used on a variety of trimming machines and is especially well suited for use on automatic meat trimmers of the type described generally in U.S. Pat. No. 5,236,323 which is herein incorporated by reference, or any of a wide variety of automatic trimming machines. Specific examples of such machines are the Maja GEA, SBA, UBS, SRA, EUM, ESM, TEM and ESB series machines. However, the invention's use is not limited to these machines but rather is suitable for all manual or automatic machines.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Prior art devices for holding and retaining trimming blades are well known in the art as described above. However, the majority of blade holders utilized on automatic skinning machines comprise a lower base position and an upper clamping portion with the blade "sandwiched" in between. The base and clamping portions are held together using a series of screws which, when tightened, exert pressure on the blade therebetween, keeping it in proper position. Currently, most automatic trimming machines utilize a blade holder similar to a Maja P/n 06-000 blade holder wherein replacement of the blade requires that holder be removed from the machine. The holder comprises a lower base portion and an upper clamping portion. A series of screws holds the two plates together with the blade sandwiched therebetween. After removal from the machine, the screws are loosened, the blade replaced, and the holder reinstalled in the machine. As mentioned above, this handling of the holder has the potential for serious injury.
There have been developed, blade holders for use on manual trimming machines, which permit the removal and replacement of trimming blades without removal of the holder from the machine. However, as mentioned, these holders are generally unsuitable for use in automatic machines or suffer other drawbacks. One such example of a blade holder for use on a manual machine is provided in Grasselli, U.S. Pat. No. 5,211,097.
Grasselli discloses a blade holder wherein a cylindrical cam extending along the width of the holder and having a lengthwise flat surface, is used as the release mechanism. A lever bar is connected to the ends of the cylindrical cam for rotating the cam about its axis and controlling the positioning of the cam flat surface. This lever bar used to position the cam renders the Grasselli's blade holder unsuitable for use in an automatic skinning machine since the lever bar would interfere with its installation and operation in an automatic machine.
Consequently, there is a great need for an blade holder apparatus which is capable of allowing the replacement of the trimming blade without the need for tools or for handling the blade holder.
Therefore, a primary objective of the present invention is to provide a blade holder apparatus which permits the removal and replacement of the trimming bade without the need of tools.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an blade holder apparatus and method wherein the trimming blade may be replaced without the need for removing the holder from the trimming machine.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a blade holder which is capable of being utilized on automatic trimming machines.
Another object is to provide an apparatus which can accommodate a variety of blade types.
Another objective is to provide a blade holder of a design wherein the contact of the meat with the blade serves to further clamp the blade into position.
Another objective is to provide a blade holder in which the mechanism providing the locking action is also able to facilitate disengagement of the apparatus.
Another objective is to provide a blade holder apparatus having a means for adjusting the depth of the blade in the holder and consequently the amount of material which is trimmed from the meat product.
Finally, an object of the present invention is to provide a blade holder apparatus which is constructed with a minimum number of components and is of rugged durable construction to withstand the harsh environments encountered in the meat trimming industry.